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greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect describes when the earth's atmosphere becomes thick with gases and substances and traps the sun's radiation, making the Earth warmer. (noun)

An example of the greenhouse effect is global warming.

See greenhouse effect in Webster's New World College Dictionary

the warming of a planet's surface and lower atmosphere caused by trapped solar radiation: solar shortwave radiation penetrates to the planet's surface and is reradiated into the atmosphere as infrared waves that are then absorbed by carbon dioxide, water vapor, etc.

See greenhouse effect in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

The phenomenon whereby the earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation, caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incoming sunlight to pass through but absorb heat radiated back from the earth's surface.
A similar retention of solar radiation, as by another planet or in a solar panel.

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greenhouse effect

Energy radiated by the sun converts to heat when it reaches earth. Some heat is reflected back through the atmosphere, while some is absorbed by atmospheric gases and radiated back to earth.

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